


Young Sandburg, episode two-and-a-half

by Sheffield



Series: Young Sandburg [1]
Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-19
Updated: 2012-06-19
Packaged: 2017-11-08 02:59:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/438387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheffield/pseuds/Sheffield
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's 1979 and Mrs Henderson's class have written letters to soldiers.  One little pacifist vegetarian's letter reaches its destination.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Young Sandburg, episode two-and-a-half

"Homeroom December 1st 1979

Dear Soldier 

I'm a pacifist and I don't believe in soldiers but Mrs Henderson (she's our teacher) says we all have to write letters to you anyway, because it's Christmas and you're all a long way from home defending us. And she's right, because you're people too, even if you are soldiers, so Happy Holidays anyway.

I asked Mrs Henderson what you were defending us from and she said Russia but I don't think that's a good idea. The Russians have got lots of nukes but we've got more and my mom is in CND and says we ought to set an example and not have nukes any more and then the Russians wouldn't need them either. So if the Russians are being annoying, don't defend us against them too hard, OK, because I think I'd rather speak Russian and eat yukky things like beetroot than have all the people and all the animals die, which is what would happen if we nuked Russia and they nuked us. And anyway, maybe the Russians would like to speak English and eat hamburgers like us, only I don't eat hamburgers because of being vegetarian. But I still won't eat beets.

So Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, have a good Kwanzaa, enjoy Yule and Happy New Year. Don't get killed, OK? This is a picture of my house, only it's not my house it belongs to Thomas and my mom and me are staying with him just now which is why I have to have Mrs Henderson as my teacher, but next year we might move on. Maybe she's not so bad. But if you write back, write to Mrs Henderson in case I'm not here, OK?

Yours faithfully

Blair Sandburg aged 7"

"What you got there, Jackson?"  
"One of those kids' letters that came yesterday; some class project. This one's from some little pacifist vegetarian punk who disapproves of soldiers - but he doesn't want me to get killed OK?"  
His friend laughed. "Big of him. Come on, time's a-wasting, how about a little one on one?"  
Jackson balled up the kid's letter and threw it overhand at the trash basket. "He shoots, he scores!"  
Lieutenant James Ellison, 19 years old, frowned slightly. "Weren't we supposed to answer those if we took one?"  
"Hey, kid told me not to get dead. Am I dead? There's his answer. Come on, Ellison, I'm going to kick your butt."

Ellison's hand twitched, slightly, as he passed by the trash can but the sun was shining, and the basketball court was waiting, and some pacifist vegetarian punk could wait. Couldn't he?

**Author's Note:**

> This was sent out as a Christmas card to members of the Sentinelangst list Christmas card exchange, some years ago. I have been asked to post the rest of the stories in the Young Sandburg series here... Um... has anyone got copies please?????


End file.
